Young Love, Unheeded
by Coolies
Summary: A TFIHE Prequel, Layla and Link at the tender age of ten meet and have a day of weird emotion. But why don't they remember at the age of 17 that this happened? Read and find out! Oneshot.


A/N - Hello my lovelies I know you are waiting my for next installment of TFIHE! Well, I mean the new story which is to be the sequel. But before that, a small prequel, yes? One-shot little ficlet of adventures between Link and Layla that not even they remember for reasons you shall figure out later in the story.

This will definitely contain alot more humor, my opinions of the game, and fluffiness than TFIHE.

Enjoy!

* * *

Link stepped out of the forest and clenched his fists, waiting to be struck down by lightning or something. But to his surprise, nothing happened. He was mildly surprised. Kokiris are supposed to die if they ever leave the forest. However, Link had always thought this was a myth. He shrugged and began walking down the narrow path towards Hyrule Feild.

"I better go see 'The Princess of Destiny' or whatever..." Link mumbled to himself. He was suddenly stopped by a loud hoot and looked up to the abnormally largest owl he'd ever seen. "Holy Triforce..." he said, falling backwards.

"Hoot hoot hello Link! I see you are on an adventure! Hoot hoot wonderful! You see, once you reach the end of this path, you will enter Hyrule Feild, the main part of this magic land of Hyrule! You will travel to the Castle and meet the princess! And then you will..." the owl trailed on and on his speech laced with hoots. Link sighed and tuned out. The Deku Tree had already told him all this stuff.

About an hour later, the owl turned his head upside down and looked at Link, who was clearly not listening and was so bored by this point that it was an amazing fact that he was not drooling.

"Hoot! Do you want me to tell you all that again? Hoot?" said the owl. Link snapped out of his reverie and looked up at the owl, bent set on stopping the speech.

"NO. DEAR DIN NO!" said Link. The Owl looked at him confused. "Uhhh well. You've been very helpful and informing. Thanks." Link nodded.

"Farewell and good luck! You'll be seeing more of me!" The owl said and flew off. Link looked after him with the most confused look on his face.

"That was...so...weird. A large talking owl who drones on and on. And he didn't even tell me his name. Plus, I'll be seeing more of him? Crap! Not what I had in mind for an adventure..." Link groaned. he got up from where he was sitting and dusted off his shorts. He saw the sun beginning to set. "That stupid owl wasted my entire day! I better get to it!" The boy ran off in the direction of Hyrule Town market, and just as it came into full view, the drawbridge started to go up.

"Nooooooo!" groaned Link, falling down on his knees. "Now I have to wait till morning!" The boy was interrupted soon though, because a Stalchild rose up from out of the ground and began slashing at Link. Link was pissed. "Lovely." said the ten year old. He fought skeleton after skeleton until finally getting tired out and jumping into the moat. He waded there in the water until morning, which was very tiring. Link got out of the water, sore. VERY sore.

"Aghhhh. Man. If this is what my whole adventure is gonna be like, then no thank you, I don't want it, somebody else can have it!" Link climbed out of the moat and entered as soon as the drawbridge let down. As he walked in he heard lively music and looked over to see a band of minstrels playing the tune. He walked past them and into the Market Which was very loud with the hum of a crowd. He looked around. "Wow...civilization!" He smiled and looked across the well in the center of the town to see the Castle up on it's hill. He smiled. That was his destination.

* * *

Meanwhile...

"Wake up Layla!" The ten year old opened one eye to see her mother cheerily staring down at her.

"Mommy, it's so early, what do you want?" groaned the already very moody gerudo youth.

"Today is your first out-of-fortress theiving test!" said Chenia happily.

"Oh, boy! Really?" Layla jumped out of bed, excited.

"Yes! I'm so glad you're excited! Now hurry, get dressed and run to Nabooru, she'll be outside assigning jobs to other girls your age!" Layla's mother ordered.

"Right!" Layla smiled. She did so and ran outside. She looked around for the auburn haired queen. And sure enough, there was Nabooru, assigning Judith and Zara to an assistant job in the infirmary. Layla ran up before any other girl could take her place and beamed in front of Nabooru. The girl looked down boredly and sighed.

"Name?"

"Layla!" chirped the eager Gerudo. Nabooru looked down her list and found the girls name.

"Ah. You're a future warrior. Very well. Today you will go out into the feild and find us some loot! But, I have a very special assignment for you!"

"R-r-really?" Layla's eyes widened and she smiled. "Oh, anything for you, Miss Nabooru, anything!"

"Yes. Are you aware of the boy named Link?"

"Uhmmm, I've heard about the legend that he's sposed to be a hero or somethin'..." Layla said thoughtfully.

"Right. Know what he looks like?"

"Uhm, blonde, my age, blue eyes, green clothes?"

"Right. I need you to take _his_ money. We can't have any sissy do-gooders like him running around and ruining our way of life."

"Aye aye, miss Nabooru!" Layla said, and ran off to exit the fortress. She couldn't wait to get this going. Link wouldn't know what hit him.

* * *

At this point, Layla was peering around the corner at Link who had just entered the market. She was in full pickpocket mode, and she wasn't gonna let down Nabooru on this one. She ducked into the shadows whenever she had the chance, and made her way towards Link, who was walking towards the entrance to the castle grounds. Excellent. Layla hid behind one of the crates near the Mask Shop and watched Link walking towards her, unaware of her presence. She watched his rupee bag swing enticingly from his belt. Just as he was about to pass her, Layla reached a hand out from behind the box and snatched the bag. She snickered. Bingo.

Unfortunately for her, Link had felt the heaviness of his rupee bag disappear, and spun around to look for it. He spun full circle, looking for the bag, and when he still couldn't find it, began investigating the area around him. Layla prayed he wouldn't see her, but when he came near her, she was so nervous that she gasped, and of course with her luck, the young hero heard her.

"Hey, what are you doing back there?" he asked with innocent curiosity.

"Uhh...I...the sun...I was...I don't...I don't know." Layla finished lamely.

"Oh...kay...uh well I was wondering if you happened to see my money bag drop, I can't seem to find it, and I felt it drop from my belt a minute ago." Link said. Layla bit her lip. Did he really believe her? She felt guilty for tricking such an innocent boy.

"Well, I...no, I don't think I have, but I'll keep an eye out, and if I find it I promise I'll find you to give it back!"

"Okay, thanks! Well, I have to go to the castle now..." Link trailed off.

"Layla. The name's Layla. And you are?" Layla stuck out her hand for a handshake.

"I'm Link!" the ten-year-old hylian smiled.

"Well, nice to meet you Link, and hope to meet again!" the thief said with perfectly feigned genuineness. (A/N - Is that the right word?)

"Definitely! See you again, Layla!" And Link jogged off to meet princess Zelda. Layla brought the bag out from behind her and bounced the jingling rupees in her hand.

"Let's see how much this brat is packing..." Layla said, sitting down and emptying the rupees out onto the ground in front of her. She counted one hundred rupees. "Wow, not very much, but for a kid, he's pretty rich. It'll get him another sheild, at least..." she scooped up the rupees and stuffed the cloth bag in her pocket, hopping out of her hinding place and skipping her way back to Gerudo Fortress.

As she entered her fortress, she scanned the place for Nabooru. She couldnt find her so she ran home and stood in the doorway.

"Mommy!" she called. Chenia looked round the corner to see her daughter.

"Hi, Layla, hun. What is it?"

"Where's Nabooru? I got some Hero-money to give her!" she said mischeviously.

"Good job! Well you're on time. She should be in the Great Hall collecting right now."

"Okay thanks mom!" Layla turned around and ran for the great hall, where she found Nabooru sitting in her chair next to a giant pot of treasures, in front of a short line of girls. Layla took her place in line as more and more girls filed in behind her, but as soon as one girl got on the end, the first girl left. Layla was finally in front and Nabooru surveyed her.

"You're the girl I sent to get Link's money, yeah?" she said. "Layla?"

"Uh huh!" the girl proudly nodded.

"Were you successful?"

"You bet I was!" Layla opened her hands and let the 100 rupees fall into Nabooru's lap. Nabooru smiled widely as she counted 2 red rupees, 6 blue rupees, and 30 green rupees.

"One hundred! Very good! Are you sure that's all he was carrying?"

"Yeah, I got the whole bag, see?" Layla pulled the cloth bag out of Nabooru to see.

"VERY impressive!" the queen praised. Layla beamed. "And he didn't detect it?"

"Well, he did...but I lied. He's kind of...really innocent and susceptable to any shrewd beings like ourselves..." Layla said.

"Poor kid. He won't last two days in the real world..." Nabooru shook her head. "Well, good job, girl! You can keep his bag for a memento or something..." she reached up and ruffled Layla's hair with one hand and popped a merit on her collarbone with the other. "Good night!" Layla smiled and skipped back home, where she ate dinner and went to sleep, planning a trip to the market tomorrow as well.

* * *

Meanwhile...

Shortly after Link had left Layla's presence, he had to sneak onto the grounds and into Zelda's quarters. He walked up to the princess and she whipped around, surprised.

"Who...who are you? And...how did you get in here?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm Link! And I snuck past your guards cuz they are like, deaf and blind. Kind of sad, actually. You need new ones." Link criticized.

"Nice. I'll take that into account. Anyway, Link. I thought you would come." the princess smiled. She told him of her prophetic dream and asked for the green stone, the Kokiri Emerald. Link held it out for her to see and she was very pleased. "Come here." she beckoned him over to her window. Link looked in and saw a very dangerous looking man bowing before the king. "See that man? The one with the evil eyes? He swears allegiance to my father, but I know he's up to something!" Zelda said. Link looked at the man and the man glanced over, catching sight of him. Link backed up.

"Oh! Did he see you?" Zelda said. Link nodded. She grinned. "Dont worry. He has no idea what we're planning yet." Link stared at the princess. "What?"

After a hesistation, Link said innocently, "You know your eyebrows look green?" Zelda sighed.

"Yes. I hear it all the time." she replied irritably.

"Well, I mean! You're like...so blonde!" she said. Zelda ripped link's hat off.

"And what's this?" she said, grabbing hold of a lock of hair. "BLONDE!" Link grabbed his hat back and stuffed it on his head.

He scoffed. "GOLDEN! You're platinum." He differentiated thier colors.

"Okay, okay, whatever." The princess dismissed. "Anyway, Link, I need you to collect the other two spiritual stones! It's the only way to save Hyrule!" Zelda pleaded. Link girnned.

"You don't have to worry, princess! You can count on me!"

"Good! Now, my attendant, Impa, will lead you out." Zelda bade goodbye to Link.

Link walked over towards the entrance to Zelda's private courtyard, and saw a very tough-looking woman wearing alot of armor. Link gaped. She taught him Zelda's Lullaby and Link was led out by her, him staring at this woman the whole way.

"So like...does all that armor hurt? Or what? I mean it looks kind of...heavy and stuff."

"No, I am used to it, for my service to the princess is my highest priority and--"

"But you never take it off and think 'MAN! I wish I didn't have to wear all that!'?" Link asked. Impa scowled.

"No! Now be quiet!" She had finally led Link out of the market and said he should venture to Kakariko Village before she disappeared. Link sighed.

"People expect me to work all the time! I don't think so!" Link stalked back into the market and sat on the edge of the well. He wished he could make some money. He was hungry, and he couldnt think of any way to earn rupees, but to go looking for them, and he was too tired right now. He made his way to the entrance of the village and entered the hall full of pots with the one guard. He settled near one of the torches to keep him warm, and fell asleep.

* * *

Layla woke up the next morning bright and early. She ran outside to train with the earliest group and once she finished her training, showered as quickly as she possibly could and got dressed.

"MomImgoingbacktothemarketseeyoulater!" she called. Chenia sighed. She gave an unconcerned 'mhmm' before going back to sewing some of Layla's hackneyed clothing. She was used to her little girl wandering off, but she always came back unharmed, so what was the use in trying to stop her? She smiled. It was good to know Layla could defend herself, though.

Layla ran. And ran. And ran all the way to Hyrule Market to find Link and give him his empty bag of money. That little dork wouldn't know what hit him. Layla put on her most innocent, unassuming face and walked into the market where there was the general loud buzz of people bargaining for goods and food, and scanned the area for green clothing and a dorky green hat on gold hair. She decided Link wasn't here yet, easily nicked an apple, and sat on top of a wooden crate eating it in the warm Hylian sun.

After about an hour of finishing her apple, flipping around on the crate and laying in the sun, Layla was sprawled flat on her back on top of her box, her hair falling over onto the side of the box and her arms straight out on either side of it, her young stomach partly exposed, her legs hanging over the other edge of the box, her knees just bending over the edge, her sandals hanging halfway off of her feet. She was pretty comfortable, actually, and thought she might take a nap soon, until she saw a flash of deep green and flipped over, her upside down sight fixed to right-side up and finding that Link had just walked into the market.

"Yes!" she cried in triumph. She jumped off her box and stood there until Link reached a stopping place, the well. She replaced her innocent and unassuming look and waved her arms in the air. "HEEEY!" she called. She pulled his battered money bag from her pocket and slowed as she reached him.

"Hi!" he answered with a smile.

"So, I worked extra hard to find your bag yesterday..." Layla lied. And she forlornly held out his empty bag. "Is this it?" she asked with sympathy in her voice. Link took it in his hand and shook it, hoping for some hint of money.

"Yeah...this is mine..." he said, his voice sounding strangled.

"What's wrong?"

"That was all my money...and now I...I can't even buy food!" Link said, still looking sadly at his bag.

Layla watched interestedly. She wondered what this little do-gooder would do with no money.

She waited.

And he was silent.

It turns out when heroes cant buy anything, they cry. At least ten year old, fragile, naive heros.

Layla was startled as the blonde little boy started to sob, hopelessly. She was uncomfortable, confused, thinking he'd go out and get his revenge on whoever stole his money.

"Er." She murmured.

"All I want to do is what the Great Deku Tree told me to do! I'm afraid to be the hero of Hyrule! What happens if I can't do it? And this whole thing has just been so frustrating so far, and now people have to go and steal all I have! I don't get it!" Link sniffled. He just blurted out his frustrations between sniffles and shaky breaths. He was twisting his empty bag in his hands and he had little tears on either cheek, one falling off and landing somewhere near his feet occasionally. He just cried, and Layla just watched.

Layla felt bad. She had just done what Nabooru told her to do, it was her mission, and now, instead of feeling like she had accomplished something, she felt like she had just abused some power and made a little ten year old boy cry.

"Hey, hey, don't do that!" Layla said, kneeling down next to him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "I...I cant believe whoever did this..." she said. Why did she do it? She didnt know why and wished she hadn't. "But...things...things will get bet--" she stopped and Link just hugged her.

"Layla, thanks for my bag!" he said, still a little snifflely. "You're my best friend!" He said with a note of glee in his voice. Layla was speechless. His best friend? But she had just...

"Link..." she said. He sat back and looked at her from across his leather Kokiri Boots.

"What is it?" he asked in a slightly stronger voice, concerned.

"I uhm..." Layla reached into her pocket and pulled out a five-rupee piece of her weekly allowance. "I have this rupee I found...maybe...I mean...take it, just a start." She tossed it onto his bag that was laying in between his legs at his knees. Link looked at her.

"Layla are you sure this isnt your money?" he said, taking it into his hands carefully and dropping it into his money bag. Layla shook her head fervently.

"I found it, I promise."

"Well, thank you..."

"Yeah..."

They both stood up and there was an awkward silence. They both knew they had to part now, but something had just happened that made neither one want to go.

"Hey! You wanna go to the shooting range with me? Five rupees cant get me much but a game, and I may as well spend it doing something fun, and maybe I'll win some money doing it too!" Link said brightly. Layla looked at him and smiled, deciding spending the day with Link would be fun. She nodded.

"Sounds like fun!" So Link and Layla walked to the right side of the Market and entered the shop where a very intimidating man stood behind the counter.

"Hey kiddies! Wanna play a game? Only five rupees for little kids!"

"Yeah! Here!" Link said, putting his rupee on the counter and pulling out a slingshot. The man looked at Layla expectantly.

"What? Oh! Oh, no I'm just here to spectate...is all..." Layla said. The man grunted.

"Just dont to breakin' anythin'." he said. He pushed the button to start the shooting course and went back to the daily post. Link readied his slingshot as Layla went to go stand next to him and watch. He pulled back the band on his slingshot as the first blue rupee jumped out the hole in the middle of the course. Link let go as soon as it appeared and it shattered, the next three green rupees shattering as well. Layla was pretty surprised. He was very good with a slingshot! Link laughed gleefully as he broke a very fast moving red rupee into a million peices.

"Wow! This IS fun!" he said happily.

"You're good!" Layla said.

"Thanks!"

The game ended. Link had hit 40 out of 50 rupees, earning him a grand total of 80 rupees. Link waved his now-pretty-much-full again bag around in triumph.

"What do you wanna do now, Layla?" Link said as they walked out. "How bout a celebratory snack?" he was so happy. Layla felt still very guilty about stealing his money saighed.

"Link, I gotta tell you something you probably dont wanna hear." she said awkwardly. Link cocked his head and quirked en eyebrow.

"What is it?" he inquired.

"I...know who took your money...and..."

"Who was it? I bet I could get it back and then we could eat real good!" Link said excitedly.

"Link, _I_ took your money and I gave it to Nabooru back at the fortress!" Layla said angrily. "You are so oblivious! WHy do you have to be so nice and naive? NOT EVERYBODY IN THIS WORLD IS NICE YOU KNOW, AND YOU NEED TO GET IT INTO YOUR HEAD THAT PEOPLE WILL DECEIVE YOU!" Layla had dissolved into tears at the sight of little Link's shocked face and looks from her face to his rupee bag, and ran away to her favorite place in Hyrule Feild, right on the bridge to Kakariko Village, hoping Link wouldn't follow her.

He didn't. Not for hours. Layla just put her finger in the water, catching a few fish and letting them go, sulkily wishing she had never taken Link's money in the first place and wished she could have just been his friend. It was dusk and Layla was planning to just sleep in Hyrule Feild and take her penalty tomorrow. It was darkening and the sky was orange, crimson, and purple. She sighed. She laid on her back on the curved bridge and just closed her eyes. It immediately got even darker and she decided it was time for sleep. Something hard and cold landed on her stomach. Her eyes shot open and she looked at it. It was a blue rupee. Link was standing in front of her smiling a cute, crooked smile.

"I have to pay you back, don't I?" he said. Layla was speechless. She wordlessly took the rupee and stuffed it into her pocket.

"What are you doing here?" she finally asked.

"I just told you I have to pay you back..." Link kneeled next to her.

"Okay so you did, so leave."

"You're gonna sleep here?"

"I guess so, huh?"

"Well, you wanna go back to my house?"

"You have a house?"

"Yeah...it's in Kokiri Forest but I mean it's pretty big enough for two of us kids to sleep on the bed..." he said, standing up and offering a hand to Layla, who, after a rough hesitation, took his hand and stood up with him, walking through the darkening feild with him hand in hand.

They entered the log upon the very moment the sun was gone and the moon had just appeared. The forest was dimly lit with the light of many little sprites that would soon be fairies but weren't big enough to be anything yet. Link led her to his house and they entered it and he lit a lantern. They sat around his table, for neither was tired. Layla sighed.

"Soooo." she sat back. Link, who was next to her, looked at her and commented: "Do you like it?"

"Eh, it's a place to sleep." The girl laid back with her hands under her head. Link did the same and she turned over on her side to face him, on the solid wood floor of his tree house, and he did the same, and they just stared for a minute.

"Yeah, I guess..." Link said quietly. Layla got a devious idea and rose up to tackle Link, upon which moment they began to wrestle and struggle with eachother. Eventually Link had Layla pinned and she sighed.

"You win." she said. She sat up and Link sat up off of her. They stared again at eachother for a couple seconds until the young hero, acting upon impulse, leaned in and kissed Layla on the forehead. She looked at him strangely. There was a silent moment.

"What was that for?" Layla asked finally.

"I don't know. I guess I did it because...I like you. I think you're neat. I get along with you, and like you heard me say, you're my best friend."

"Even after I stole your money?"

"I won it back with YOURS, didn't I?" Link said. "Besides, I think you're...you're pretty..." he blushed pink. Layla did the same.

"What does that have to do with anything?" she muttered.

"The Know it All brothers told me all this stuff about girls. And they said that if she's pretty, and you like her, you should kiss her."

"But on the forehead?"

"I don't know where to kiss you!" Link said, perplexed. Layla sighed. Kokiri's were definitely naive and these Know it All Brothers obviously did not know it all.

"Well, what did you kiss me with?" Layla said to Link.

"My mouth."

"Right. So?"

"So...?"

"So you kiss MY mouth." she said. Link was obviously confused. The ten year old sighed and scooted closer to Link, leaning in quickly and giving him an innocent, run-of-the-mill, girl-education kiss. And Link blinked in surprise and then turned bright red.

"Why does that feel so weird?"

"Cuz _you _like _me_, and _I_ kissed _you_, so it's special." Layla said. She sighed. She also liked Link, herself. Link looked up at Layla once he was not so red, and kissed her. She acquired his blush and he laughed.

"And you like me too, don't you Layla?"

"Well I...I..."

"Can we..." Link said...trailing off.

"Can we what?"

"Well I mean you kissed me and I kissed you...so we kissed at different times."

"Uh...huh..." Layla knew where this was going.

"Can we do it at the same time?"

"Like...kiss...eachother?"

"At the same time, uh huh."

"...Y-yeah..."

There was silence. And stillness, and pre-pubescent insecurity. And both looked at the other occupant in the room until finally one decided it was time at the precise moment the other did, and they both leaned over and kissed eachother an innocent tender kiss on the lips that lasted for about three seconds and was followed by a big embarrassed 'if they cant see me I can't see them' hiding moment and then a soft smile in the other's direction.

And both were tired.

"Link, you're my best friend too."

"I like you, Layla."

"I like you too, Link."

"We'll play again tomorrow, and..." Link yawned. "I'll give you a tour of the forest..." he climbed into bed and blew out the lantern. Layla climbed in next to him and cuddled up with him.

"Sounds good."

They kids hugged and fell asleep in eachother's arms, knowing that tomorrow would be fun.

* * *

Nayru was ecstatic.

"Awwwww loooooooooooooook, they love eachother!"

"How cute!" Farore crooned. Din was stern.

"I'm all for love and all, especially young love, but...you guys...you know...about...later. We can't let them remember this...it...it'll mess everything up."

"But..." both the blue and green goddesses protested.

"Come on guys, I know. I know." Din flew down and pried Layla as carefully as possible from Link's arms, and Farore positioned him how he always slept, like nobody was ever there, as Din flew out of sight with Layla to Gerudos fortress.

Nayru sighed and sang in her beautiful voice the Ballad of Forgotten Pain, which was intended to free dying and ill people of thier troubles, but worked just as well as a memory eraser. Layla forgot all about Nabooru's request, Chenia thought Layla was in the fortress all day, Nabooru forgot she had Link's money, and Link, finally, forgot Layla ever existed, and would set out to Death Mountain the next day.

All three goddesses were back in their chamber in the Sacred Realm and Din was silent as Nayru and Farore lamented over how much of a shame it was. Din sighed.

"It's for the best, guys." she reasoned.

"Yeah, I guess..." But Nayru and Farore said with a sigh.

Young love can never go on very long. Something intervenes.

* * *

A/N- So whaddaya think, guys? You like it? I think it's adorable! 3

Please review and look out for my newer story coming out in perhaps the next 3 months.

This is your insane genius Coolies, signing off.


End file.
